Eating Healthy When You Eat Out

Each year, more and more Americans make the choice to dine out multiple times during the week. In 2006, American families spent eight times more money on dining out than Americans spent in 1976. In the past 30 years, Americans have begun to eat out more than they eat at home. This has had a huge impact on the obesity issue in the country.

The more people eat out, the less conscious they are of what they are eating. Having a well balanced and healthy diet is one of the best ways to maintain a healthy weight. When eating out, it is very difficult to make sure you are eating a healthy meal, because it is almost impossible to know what is in everything you are eating. Most people will order what is offered on a menu and these choices rarely constitute a well rounded meal.

In addition to eating unhealthy foods while eating out, people are also eating larger portions. Many restaurants offer an ‘all you can eat’ deal that attracts millions of customers each year. Overeating, or eating beyond fullness, is one of the causes of being overweight.

How to Eat Right When Dining Out

If you must dine out, there are some things that can be done to help control your weight. First, there is no law that says you must finish all that is served. The best thing to do is eat half of the entrée and bring the other half home to eat the following day. Cutting down on portion size will help control overeating.

Try to opt for healthy choices. Look for items that are baked and not fried. Choose fresh vegetables over potatoes, ignore the bowl of bread sticks or chips on the table, and choose a low calorie dressing on a salad or ask for dressing and sauces on the side.

New laws have required dining establishments to provide the nutritional values of food that is served. Even though this information is available, more than 85% of all people who dine out do not give this a second thought. They simply order from the menu and eat their meal.

Fast Food and Obesity

Visits to fast food restaurants are definitely on the rise. This is primarily due to the busy schedules people keep. They would rather sacrifice a healthy meal for the convenience of getting something quick. Since 1992, the percentage of overweight adults has increased from 56% to 64.5%. Much of this increase is due to eating at fast food establishments.

The increased visits to these food chains have had a huge impact on obesity in children. Since so many children eat this food more than once a week, the number of obese children has soared. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported that one third of all children in the United States are overweight and that 16% are obese. These numbers, in combination with those gathered on adults mean that more than two thirds of the population is overweight or obese and much of this is caused from eating out.